Modernist house that deserves a better future

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Christopher and Carol Nell bought their home near Richmond in 1978. He is a designer (he trained in interior design, worked for Designers Guild and latterly was head of design for London Transport) and she is a librarian. They had both lived in Germany for several years and come to appreciate the light-filled interiors of many modern German homes, with their Bauhaus inspired architecture. When they came back to the UK the Nells found this one storey home in St. Margarets, built in 1957. It has a very Scandinavian/German feeling to its design and Christopher has filled it with furniture and furnishings to suit the period. 20th century design giants like Eames Breuer and Thonet are represented in the form of many chairs, and the couple had an extension built to the side and rear which echoes the original architectural style. Christopher designed the dramatic, circular brick wall at the front. The house is now on the market and, as there has been little interest shown by private buyers, it is quite likely to be sold to developers and knocked down. In its way, the house is a classic of 1950s/60s design and deserves a better future than one that includes demolition. Writer patricia.garratt@btinternet.com